I can hear the words you refuse to speak; I see them sitting there on your
tongue. The light in your eye is telling me something, the flame speaks a
tongue I never heard before but yet I understand. The feeling I get when we
interlock, the smell that floats in the air. The smile on your face, the touch
of your lips, I swear the buzz is in my ear. When I'm inside of your love, I
just want to say...When my love is inside, do you want to say...? Can you hear
the words that are suppose to be said? Nothing is spoke, words are just
floating around inside our heads. My body screams with each touch, my mind
explodes with every kiss. My ears are longing to hear those words and I know
you feel the same. But we speak nothing and nothing we speak, so now we are
left with nothing but words unspoken.

-0-

Paused Passing
Bill Albright

Dame Fortune paused when I hailed her recently

Speeding past me seemed such a shame

As I stood in the shadows where Miss Fortune had placed me

And even I could not recall my name.

This was one try, a last chance

To have a moment center stage in the spotlight

Where even without a name, attention would enhance

A solitary silhouette, frozen with fright.

-0-

WAKE UP POOR MAN

BEN RATLIFF (ABSTRACT CHILD)

I see him everyday, on his park bench cloaked in paper

The man who was once within him, is gone like water vapor

I watch his tears wonder as they read between the lines

wonder what he’s thinking as I walk by odorous of expensive wine

I wish I could put my life inside the cup that makes his life

I can at least spare one dollar, a cigarette and a light

But I know there’s no help, he lost hope a thousand to many

He’s mantled forever in that newspaper looking for a thousand penny’s

-0-

A facade I wear

To hide my true self from view

Wish I could show me

Nick Thompson

-0-

The “CUSS-BOWL”

Prabha Trimurty

A dissenter of profanity, I fixed a fine on my darling 9 year olds.

My class of twenty-three angels had an uncanny ability.

To pick up cussing and swearing with alarming frequency.

Mortified by "F"words!” enunciated effortlessly.

"Damn it,” “Screw you,” being their milder use of sacrilege.

Popular media, and playgrounds, ubiquitously tolerate profanity.

Kids succumb to expletives and grow insensate to swearing.

Emulate, cartoon heroes, who thrive on "taboo" words.

How could I teach kids, hemmed into drift of waning morality?

Albeit tolerating, (more likely ignoring) the usage of profanity.

Pointless, reprimanding innocent kids who are learning?

On the other hand, criticize them, for this impasse.

Feeling challenged, by this word choice of merciless jargon.

My only quick fix, was obliterating, this abysmal language style.

By means of substituting words that are unacceptable.

With a “Nincompoop”, “darn it”, “nitwit,” and “baloney”.

Alternatively “ batty,” “phooey”, “dingbats” and
“malarkey.”

Or, “dimwit,” “shoot,” “fraud,” and “for crying aloud.”

Or else “nutty”, “blast it”, “hogwash” “shoot”, and
“dense.”

Consequence, resulting for voicing objectionable language.

A penalty, a dime, for every blaspheme, into “THE CUSS-BOWL.”

Failed to comply, would be steep, ensuing double up the fine.

Consequently, the “CUSS-BOWL” income will be expended.

To delight, the non-cusses with beneficial rewards.

Thanks to my daughter for ingenious fix.

Tendency of cussing and swearwords is undoubtedly fading.

Profanity inflation, costing them unquestionable bankruptcy.

“The Cuss-Bowl” is slowly but surely weakening, not making money.

A priceless finale, to the callous addiction of indecorous uproar.

-0-

DESTINATION AFRICA

by Linda Hayes

Let me take you on a ride

we'll travel through time and space,

destination Africa

birthplace of the human race.

We'll journey back to Africa

to where it all began,

home of the oldest tribe on Earth

known as the San Bushman.

All aboard the time machine

otherwise known as our blood,

we'll have no trouble getting around

with Y-Chromosomes under the hood.

We're going to trace man's origin

and the clues that will lead the way,

are mutated generic markers

that are found in man's DNA.

Through Europe, Asia, The Middle East

our blood trail takes us back,

showing all men paternally related

be they red, yellow, brown, white or black.

Brothers, stop killing your brothers.

Put your weapons down today,

for the proof that we're all related

lies in our DNA.

-0-

Life Goes On

by Christina Marie Van-Kellogg

I remember Big Bear Mountain

Those warm and cozy Friday nights

Playing scrabble and going bowling

Before all the yelling and endless fights

Coming home to open arms

Stories of growing up and life on the farms

Staying up and baking pies

A life without fear, a home free of lies

But then something changed, it all went away

I knew it would happen to us someday

But why now when everything felt so good?

Nothing was going the way that it should

Life went on, but I was stuck in the past

Couldn't move onto the future, it was coming to fast

I wasn't ready to move on, at least not yet

All those good memories, I didn't want to forget

But as time passed I started to realize

That as life went on, so must I

So I prepared myself to take on whatever fate had planned next

And life went on

-0-

coming to see

by John Paredes

In this world i live in

It seems like everything goes so fast

So that it is wearing me thin

and all of a sudden i'm in the past

And no matter how hard i try to keep up

I always get left behind

Like a lost little pup

Who had gone blind

And then I came to see

to see what I've always longed for

And all I saw was me

Just that and nothing more.

-0-

Our Earth
Nelwine Lee Ortiz

The Earth is getting littered,

oh no! What a terrible day,

the planet's getting bigger,

I don't know what to say,

if we work together,

and clean up all this mess

for we can live forever,

and the earth will be the best,

but if you trash the earth,

then we won't live too long,

and the earth would have no worth,

and us people would be gone,

so just protect this planet,

then you will be alright,

and if you understand this,

then the earth will be just right.

-0-

ALARM CLOCK

KATE STEERE

she wanted to continue sleeping

into tomorrow or next week

but a voice woke her up

"girl, get up!"

why she said what can I possibly

do to make the world better by

getting up this morning

"girl, where is your song?"

"don't you got a song to sing?"

"you only got one life and you ain't got no song?"

they don't sing here she said

there is never singing here.

-0-

Changed

George Harrington

I see you there, in that picture so loathed

The memories sting as hundreds of knives

Dark is the world in which we live

We are consumed by the everlasting night

Glass half full look to a brighter day

Glass half empty, find your noose and fall

The world is flat, look out for the ends

The world is round, destroy the diverse

Laughing in pain, of lost times of ecstasy

Lend me your ears and truth will be clear

In your eyes I find my sol free refuge

The walls close in, and I embrace the pain

Hoping to God on high

Is like clinging to straws while drowning

The air is thick, my lungs collapse

The heart is still, closed are my eyes

When you dig my grave, make it shallow

So that I can feel the cool spring rain

-0-

SURE IS CRAPSEY

Trevor O'Dunn

Here are

Three plangent things:

The falling rain... the Happy

Hour before dusk… the mouth of one

Shut club.

-0-

Slow dancing spring rain

ends without a cue from God.

All green and wet and wild.

John R Bushell

-0-

HAIKU OF THE HEART'S BLOOD

A poet's heart bleeds:

he writes using the blood, hopes

the wound will not heal.

Glynn Edgar Symonds

-0-

kickin it into gear ­

Michael

there ain’t nothing wrong with the gear,

it turns cognizant of some bigger wheel,

cogged, not clogged, teeth,

keeping it in sync with some purpose

intention of self-expression,

goal in self-expression,

thereby expressing some other dimension ­

some element that reacts with the ineffable ­

overwhelming when it touches

the small shell we wrap ourselves into,

the small claim we make of life ­

the LIFE that wants our happiness,

will spare no expense to fulfill us,

knows no boundaries in its giving,

hasn't got a clue as to what lack means,

will kick into gear any & every

engine to ease our path,

machine for our enlightenment,

“x” to be factored in ­

the unknown holds no terror…

only an unknown of indifference.

-0-

LIFE

By Thilini Liyanage

When the world is closing in on you

And you are left alone on your own

You feel like everything you hold so true

Are just illusions the world has set up for you

But you come to realize once again

It's you, that matters, it's you that you want

And nothing else can be as good as you

Because even with the people you love the most

You'll only find your happiness in YOU!

And I say, think my friend..

Though many times were there when you felt

You weren't meant to be this way

Though many times were there when you asked,

Is life worth living?

Remember this, every time you think of putting an end...

Life is always worth living because...

Because, Life is a LIFE

LIVE IT!

-0-

OFTEN WONDER

by Hunter Aydelott

people see and people go

trance like in the snow

often wonder

what are these things

you may ask

a bit of time

a bit of task

often wonder

when will we open

when will we lapse

when will we view a photograph

and time will not forgive our past

often wonder

-0-

The wind

Aneesah Salejee

As the icy wind blows

And lifts all the leaves of the ground

With the little shuffling here and there

I love listening to the sound

Although it’s freezing

And I’ve got a shiver running down my spine

I break away from my usual work

And clear out my mind

I’m drifted into another world

Where it’s peaceful and subtle

Entwined in this world

I feel a huge cuddle

With blankets and fire

My body feels comfy and WARM

Like I’m being sucked in

In a loveable form

I feel a sudden rush of coldness

Creeping up my neck

It continues moving

Until it reaches my back

It was all a dream

That kept me warm and relaxed

It boosted me completely

I wonder what’s next …

-0-

CHILDREN OF NATURE

Wandering Bird

The wind reaches around and whispers softly,

“Come with me, come with me.”

Dancing, swirling, huge skirts of air.

He wants to go so he will know.

He follows her most willingly.

The moon shines down and words fall out,

“Come with me, come with me.”

Beaming, floating in a dark ocean.

She wants to know so she will go.

She follows very carefully.

A tree tosses branches; seems to sigh,

“Come with me, come with me.”

Waving, waiting, locked in time.

They follow for they want to know.

They trail,oh,so patiently.

Children of Nature, come together!

Dancing, swirling; beaming, floating; waving, waiting—

"Here we are."

Children of Nature are no longer their own.

Captured by Her beauty

They are slaves at Her throne.

-0-

BLACK

jason donovan

gelatinous sea of shadows

incandescent obsidian jet

pulsing , languid

sinuous arms explore

formless mass of darkness

utterly devoid and flawless

hungrily swallowing time

desperately drawing

glistening ripples of black

beckoning , whispering waves of grace

the promise of peace in the lightless womb

the silent depths of viscous fluid

cradle of solitude

eternal

-0-

"LOST IN MY WORLD"

MICHAEL ROGERS

Lost in my World

I have no shadow at All

For Reflections are Contrite

Makes no sense to look Tall

Short in puny Stature

I'm a Man without renown

If you're looking for Laughs

Let me entertain and be your Clown

The World is only for Four

Excluding me from out its Front Door

Passionate Person engaging to a Fault

But my World has no Colors

Not A "Friendly's" ice cream or Malt

I was a Boy that had fun,a Teddy Joy

The World back then,was fun to Employ

Backyard Family Frolics

Barbeque on the open Grill

Looking for Snow and no school at all

From the tiniest Contours..

of the living room window sill

Lost in a Dream

Without a Ending,Smile

Hoping for a Friend

To come back again

And make my World Smile..

...At least for a little While

-0-

Nihil Obstat

Liz

Sometimes I’m lonely,

other times I’m not.

Sometimes I’m quiet,

I think that I’m all I’ve got.

Sometimes I think about

great things that could be.

Sometimes I think about

the soul inside of me.

All the time I write,

like fetters on my legs.

When I don’t want to

my mind practically begs.

To write something down,

to get it all out.

I couldn’t stop doing it,

of that I have no doubt.

To push and to shove,

I do both to me.

But I like the restraint.

I don’t know how to be free

When I’m outside of my mind.

But when I am in my own head,

freedom in there doesn’t mean

that somewhere else people are dead.

-0-

YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE SO BE WHO YOU
BE

Rahnieda Davis

For all you bad girls you are who you
are so make something of it

You live in a sad world cause you had
no one to walk with to talk
with

Now you feel your life is meaningless so
hear this

You are who you are and don’t ever
change it you just gotta face it and if others
don’t like it then tell them you made it

Through the struggles you faced trying so
hard to fit in when you always felt
out of place

Feel free be who you wanna be agree
with life and follow your dreams let them
know “It doesn’t have to mean
anything to you but it means something to
me”

You are who you are you have to
make people see

They may not understand you but I’m sure
they know what it means to to
chase a dream

Pride Envy Gluttony Lust Anger Sloth and
Greed these are all weaknesses and shoot
us down to our knees we are all
different but we feel the same thing

We all have the same weaknesses we just
experience them differently we’re a different
color yet the color is the same when
we bleed

We are all different so be who you
be

You are who you are so don’t
change a thing

And if others don’t like it give’em
a kiss on the cheek tell them you
made it just by being who you be